On Dec. 30, 2013, Texas EquuSearch checks Cypress Creek in a boat equipped with sonar for signs of Melissa Sowders, who has been missing since Dec. 26. (James Nielsen / Chronicle)

On Dec. 30, 2013, Texas EquuSearch checks Cypress Creek in a boat...

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On Dec. 30, 2013, Texas EquuSearch checks Cypress Creek in a boat equipped with sonar for signs of Melissa Sowders, who has been missing since Dec. 26. (James Nielsen / Chronicle)

On Dec. 30, 2013, Texas EquuSearch checks Cypress Creek in a boat...

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Melissa Rene Sowders is known to drive a white, 1995 Honda Accord, four-door similar to this one. Her car bears Texas license plate CL3H494 and the driver’s door is black.

Photo: Harris County Sheriff's Office

Melissa Rene Sowders is known to drive a white, 1995 Honda Accord,...

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Melissa Rene Sowders

Photo: Harris County Sheriff's Office

Melissa Rene Sowders

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Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

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Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

Image 7 of 15

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

Image 8 of 15

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

Image 9 of 15

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

Image 10 of 15

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

Image 11 of 15

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

Image 12 of 15

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

Image 13 of 15

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Sowders after she was last seen at a fast food restaurant at FM 1960 and Interstate 45 before noon on Dec. 26, according to a release. Sowders, who is two months pregnant, told friends she was going to meet her ex-husband and youngest daughter at the restaurant, but did not return and has not called relatives. (Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

Harris County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives have been...

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Tim Miller of Texas EquuSearch looks at a sonar image taken from Cypress Creek as the group resumed its search Monday for a missing woman.

Authorities and a volunteer search group looking for a missing pregnant woman are focusing their attention on portions of Cypress Creek in north Harris County, near the woman's apartment, officials said.

Melissa Rene Sowders was last seen about 11 a.m. Thursday at a McDonald's restaurant at 339 FM 1960 near Interstate 45, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Sowders, who is two months pregnant, reportedly told friends she was going to the restaurant to meet her estranged husband and youngest daughter. The 26-year-old woman did not return and has not called relatives.

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Deputies said Sowders is believed to be a victim of foul play, but they did not elaborate.

Her car, a 1995 Honda Accord, was found in a parking lot in the 16700 block of the North Freeway near Richey, officials said Monday.

Searchers on Monday were at the creek, where they recently used sonar to find what appears to be an image of something on the bottom in about 7 feet of murky water, said Tim Miller, the group's founder.

Miller said the water may be the best bet of finding the missing woman. He plans to search the water at the site of the sonar image. The creek bottom, he added, is littered with large rocks, fishing nets and other debris.

"I've gotten false images before," he said. "I certainly want to investigate this one some more."

Anyone with information about regarding Sowders' disappearance is urged to contact the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit at 713-967-5810 Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.